@Landers92 said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

@Mattasaurus said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

@W32 said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

First super rugby game for me in a while. Yeah no

yup at 30 years, Super rugby is a poor shadow of what it once was..... SA leaving really was the final death blow for me

Weird comment. You’re here commenting every week on almost every game?

And hearing how we miss the South African sides is so painful. Their teams were about on par with today's Aussie teams lol, and had only 1 team of theirs that ever won the comp in 25 seasons.

NZers didn't even watch the SA games most of the time.

Anyway, back to the game thread lol.

Not sure teams will fear playing the 2026 Crusaders under the roof after looking at that.

Forgot this game was on. Just saw Toole's try. Is this the year of the speed on the wing?

@KiwiMurph said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

Not sure teams will fear playing the 2026 Crusaders under the roof after looking at that.

This is what I’ve been saying. The roof is going to be the worst thing the Saders did in terms of continued dominance.

It’s no surprise they only get dominant when it’s freezing cold in winter and other teams lose that attacking ability because the ball becomes like a bar of soap, and the Crusaders revert to what they are best at - mauling and scrums.

Proof will be in the pudding but it will be interesting to see how things pan out over the next few years. I’ll happily eat my hat if the Saders have three or four titles in the next five years, but I just can’t see it. What I can see is four or five teams winning titles over the next five years.

fuuuuuck . . . saders make the force look not so bad!

@Canes4life said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

This is what I’ve been saying. The roof is going to be the worst thing the Saders did in terms of continued dominance.

It’s no surprise they only get dominant when it’s freezing cold in winter and other teams lose that attacking ability because the ball becomes like a bar of soap, and the Crusaders revert to what they are best at - mauling and scrums.

Three of Razor's titles came at Ellis Park, Eden Park and FMG Stadium.

Actually. thought we were quite good for most of that game. Brumbies were just better - and we gave them too much possession and a couple of soft tries.

Wheels came off at the end chasing the game.

Feel like I was robbed not getting an interview with Penney.

@Chris-B. Chris you're a glass half full man I see but can you tell me why the Crusaders persist with the very average Dominic Gardiner whilst letting the promising Torian Barnes slip through their fingers?

Excellent result for the Brumbies who surely now must be early favourites to win the competition.

It's going to be interesting to watch how the Crusaders bounce back from this.

@Grooter While I don't disagree with you, sometimes teams are limited by who is contracted. Like why did the Highlanders not sign Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa?

@Bovidae said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

@Grooter While I don't disagree with you, sometimes teams are limited by who is contracted. Like why did the Highlanders not sign Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa?

Because he isn’t that good… just like Torian Barnes probably isn’t better than Dom Gardiner. Actually thought he had his best game in a long time today.

@Chris-B. said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

Actually. thought we were quite good for most of that game. Brumbies were just better - and we gave them too much possession and a couple of soft tries.

Wheels came off at the end chasing the game.

Mate genuinely thought the Crusaders lost game in first half, they looked nackered at oranges from all the defence. I question their choices with turnover ball and insistence of trying run ball out? Was a bloody good watch, even if Brumbies did win.

@Grooter said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

@Chris-B. Chris you're a glass half full man I see but can you tell me why the Crusaders persist with the very average Dominic Gardiner whilst letting the promising Torian Barnes slip through their fingers?

No - I can't.

I've said in other seasons that my patience with Dom is wearing thin.

He has the size and attributes of a good 6, but he hasn't kicked on like I would've hoped.

@Chris-B. said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

@Grooter said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

@Chris-B. Chris you're a glass half full man I see but can you tell me why the Crusaders persist with the very average Dominic Gardiner whilst letting the promising Torian Barnes slip through their fingers?

No - I can't.

I've said in other seasons that my patience with Dom is wearing thin.

He has the size and attributes of a good 6, but he hasn't kicked on like I would've hoped.

Yeah, he's soft, and was one of the big problems in his only full campaign in 2024. You've described him well, has the build, but certainly doesn't use it. Like another Jimmy Tupou.

I would have thought that Kellow and Blackadder would make a better loose trio in this side.

@Dan54 said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

@Chris-B. said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

Actually. thought we were quite good for most of that game. Brumbies were just better - and we gave them too much possession and a couple of soft tries.

Wheels came off at the end chasing the game.

Mate genuinely thought the Crusaders lost game in first half, they looked nackered at oranges from all the defence. I question their choices with turnover ball and insistence of trying run ball out? Was a bloody good watch, even if Brumbies did win.

Yeah - it was an entertaining game.

Agree - the tackle count was massive in the first half - I think our tackles made percent was quite a bit higher than the Brumbies' in the first half, but that extra tackling workload will usually tell in the end.

Think the wind was a pretty decisive factor - and the Brumbies playing with if first might have meant they had more gas in the second half. That try they scored from the little lob kick into space was a killer.

Lineouts become a bit of a lottery in those conditions, because everyone knows you have to throw short.

@African-Monkey said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

@Chris-B. said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

@Grooter said in Crusaders v Brumbies:

@Chris-B. Chris you're a glass half full man I see but can you tell me why the Crusaders persist with the very average Dominic Gardiner whilst letting the promising Torian Barnes slip through their fingers?

No - I can't.

I've said in other seasons that my patience with Dom is wearing thin.

He has the size and attributes of a good 6, but he hasn't kicked on like I would've hoped.

Yeah, he's soft, and was one of the big problems in his only full campaign in 2024. You've described him well, has the build, but certainly doesn't use it. Like another Jimmy Tupou.

I would have thought that Kellow and Blackadder would make a better loose trio in this side.

CLW looks a bit undercookedat the start of the season, as well.

I'd eventually like to see 6. Blackadder; 7. Kellow; 8. Lio-Willie; 20. Grace - or something pretty close to it.

@Chris-B. The red card helped at Ellis Park. And the Chiefs completely botched that final in Hamilton a couple years ago.

I’m not saying the Crusaders won’t be there, I’m just saying they lose their big advantage, which is the cold, miserable conditions where they thrive. Under the roof will be a leveller for sure.

@Canes4life Well, that and that we've always got the ref in our pocket!

Without trying to be too abrasive - the first prerequisite to winning the final is to make the final. And to do that, you've got to win a lot of games away from home.

I think we've made 17 finals of the full Super comps - we've won 13 and lost 4 (all away from home).

By my quick count, we've won six at home and seven away - 1998, 1999, 2000, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2025.

Weather, refs, systems... I think we've quite often had some pretty good players and coaches and that's helped!